13 Harmful Chemicals in Electronic Cigarettes and Health Effects

In this modern era, many innovations rise to domestic life as science develops. The manual stuffs become automatic, fruit and vegetable get better longevity, and many chemicals spread in almost all aspects of life. This does not exclude electronic cigarette. Here is the Chemicals in Vapor

Electronic cigarette is different from manual cigarette. Instead of lighted with fire, it uses electronics. Even though the conventional cigarette has more chemical than electronic one, it does not mean the latter does not contain any chemical.

To know more about chemicals in electronic cigarette, here is the list of chemicals in electronic cigarettes.

  1. Propylene

Propylene is an organic compound and is thr second simplest alkene form after athene. We can find this chemical on electronic cigarette. This chemical is very important and widely used in industry as plasticizer and packaging. In electronic cigarette, propylene is on the body of the cigarette itself as flammable material.

However, this chemical only has low toxicity so it deemed to be safe for human use. Nevertheless, for some people with highly sensitive nose, inhaling propylene may trigger small allergy reaction or even worse inhalation problem.

  1. Acetaldehyde

Acetaldehyde is an organic chemical occurs naturally on ripe fruit and plants. We can find this chemical on thr flavouring of electronic cigarette. This chemical also occurs on bread and coffee. Even though this chemical is no longer widely used, research found the chemical exists in electronic cigarette. This compound usually works as precursor to acid.

As people found more precursor, they limit the use of acetaldehyde. For the toxicity of the chemical, acetaldehyde is safe until prolonged use. When we use or inhale the chemical for a long period of time, it can cause irritation on the skin and lung. Later research found this chemical to be highly carcinogenic as well. Carcinogen can cause cancer thus smoking electronic cigarette can also trigger cancer.

Related to Chemicals in Cigarettes that Cause Cancer

  1. Nicotine

The electronic cigarette is no different than traditional cigarette. It also has some nicotine in it. Nicotine itself is a stimulant commonly found in tobacco. The one in electronic cigarette is induced one. This chemical can travel to the brain just in seven seconds.

At first the chemical enters the lungs, go to the blood stream and reaches the brain. There are several danger that nicotine expose to human health. First, it can cause addiction. People who inhale nicotine tend to get addicted and it needs therapy or strong determination to stop.

Second, it is dangerous for fetal development. Mother who smoke will have higher chance for thr baby to be impaired. People love to smoke because nicotine as stimulant makes them more alert and stay awake as well as feel refreshed.

Also read about the Harmful Chemicals That Can Kill You

  1. Isoprene

Another chemical found in electronic cigarette is isoprene. Isoprene is a naturally occurring chemical that plants produce. In industry it has role mostly as byproduct. Even though it is an organic compound, that does not guarantee it to be safe. The original function is to protect plants from pollution but it can turn deadly when misused.

It also found in coal tar and petroleum in rubber material sapping. But if people get exposed to isoprene in high degree and used it frequently, it turns to be a toxic and poisonous. The effect may not be immediate but it sure that isoprene will eventually damage the lung of smokers. 

  1. Cadmium

One of the deadliest chemicals in the world, cadmium, turns out to be exists in electronic cigarette. Unlike other chemicals that are moderately dangerous, cadmium is highly dangerous. It is part of the earth crust belongs to metal compound. The general use of cadmium are pigment production and television production.

Organisations have reviewed the safety of cadmium and deem it to be toxic. The toxicity of cadmium to human can cause many health problems. First, when people inhale cadmium, they may have to experience metal fume fever, pulmonary failure, and death. It is also toxic for the environment. Several cases of poisoning from long term exposure to cadmium proves that cadmium is among Harmful Chemicals in the Environment in electronic cigarette.

  1. Aldehyde

The most common chemical found in electronic cigarette flavouring is aldehyde. Aldehyde is organic compound from carbon derivate that is common in artificial fragrances. It naturally occurs from some plants and oil that produces unique and refreshing fragrances.

Nowadays aldehyde does not have many uses as main chemical but ss precursor instead. Highly reactive, aldehyde can form other chemical through some reaction. Regardless of the flavour, almost of all the favours have aldehyde inside as the content.

  1. Toluene

Another chemical found in electronic cigarette is toluene. Toluene is among the chemical found in cigarette liquid fragrances. The chemical is also common in polyurethane foam. This chemical is not soluble to water and often is colorless. When we use pain thinner, there is a strong smell of toluene as well.

Furthermore, this chemical produces hydrocarbon fragrance found in many products perfumes. However, the chemical itself is too strong to be a single compound of perfume. When inhaling too much, it may cause irritation to the lungs. 

Other Chemicals Found in Electronic Cigarettes

Here are the chemicals in electronic cigarettes:

  • Nickel
  • Ethyl Vanillin
  • Nitrosonornicotine
  • Ethylene Glycol
  • Lead
  • Propanediol

How to Avoid Danger of Some Chemicals in Electronic Cigarette

There was no immediate report of people getting the harm of electronic cigarette as short term use often does not produce strong effect to affect the health. However, some of the chemicals are indeed toxic, thus a preventive caution is necessary.

First, do not smoke too much. While electronic cigarette demanded to be safer than traditional cigarette, it is best not to smoke too much as it is overall is not one hundred percent safe. Second, be wise in choosing the flavor liquid as some of them may be too strong for the lungs.

By that list of chemical it proves that electronic cigarette also contain chemical. Regardless of safety, smoking in the first place is always regarded to be a risky habit and addiction so any health consequences are bound to happen when someone smoke too much. That is all about list of chemicals in electronic chemicals.

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